


Five Times Plus One: Robron Parenting

by robertsugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: 5 Times, Babies, Baking, Couch Cuddles, Cupcakes, Fluff, Future Fic, Hugs, Kid Fic, M/M, Married Couple, Sharing Clothes, Suits, these tags r a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-06-04 06:19:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6644779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robertsugden/pseuds/robertsugden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Aaron was a softie while Robert was strict and one time it was the other way around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Plus One: Robron Parenting

1.

“How can I not be angry about it, Aaron? This is a £300 suit! She puked over a £300 suit!” Robert whisper-shouted, trying not to wake up their 3-month-old daughter who was sleeping in the room opposite.

Aaron calmly rolled his eyes in response. “Well, that’s what you get for wearing a £300 suit while burping her. Besides, who even pays that much for one outfit?”

Following his husband around the room as he cleaned up, Robert continued to speak. “I do!” He near-shouted before being shushed by Aaron. They both paused and looked towards their daughter’s room waiting to see if she’d woken up before sharing a relieved look when they were met with silence. “I do.” He repeated at a much quieter volume.

Aaron huffed, picking up Ivy’s bottle from where Robert had left it on the bed. “What do you want me to do about it, Robert?”

It was obviously rhetorical but Robert answered anyway, a serious look on his face. “We need to discipline her. Make sure she knows what she’s done is wrong, so-”

Aaron snorted, clearly not taking him seriously. “Robert, she’s three months old.” He said, turning around to face his dismayed husband with amusement in his eyes.

“It’s never too early to start enforcing rules.” He replied, shrugging causing Aaron to shake his head in disbelief. After a second of incredulous amused staring, he began walking downstairs with Robert in tow. "If you feel so strongly about it," he continued when they reached the kitchen. "Go tell her."

Robert nodded, even though it wouldn’t be seen because Aaron was now washing out Ivy’s bottle in the sink. “Fine. I will.”

He made his way back upstairs and into his daughter's darkened room. As soon as he reached her crib, though, he stopped. She was sleeping peacefully (unlike her parents for the past three months) and Robert couldn't help but think, not for the first time, about how much she looked like a little doll. She wasn’t as red as she was as a newborn, her skin now fair and pale like porcelain.

Not being able to hold himself back, he tentatively reached into the cot and stroked the light dusting of dark hair that covered his daughter’s head. She clearly took after Aaron - the thought relieved him. She didn't even stir, something else she got from Aaron, and Robert couldn't help but lean in further to place a soft kiss to her head.

"No," Robert sighed ruefully when he backed off. "I suppose I can't tell you off, can I? It's not your fault you inherited your Daddy's rebellious side." He smiled fondly and tucked her cuddly teddy bear closer to her tiny body.

When he got back downstairs Aaron was slouching on the sofa watching a muted TV.

"Did she learn her lesson?" He asked Robert when he sat down next to him.

"Yeah," Robert sighed, pulling Aaron to him and secretly delighting in the way he naturally curled around him. "She knows who's boss."

Laughing, Aaron replied, "Whatever. She's got you wrapped around her little finger."

Robert looked at him with mock indignation and didn't deny it.

2.

Robert sighed surveying the newly cleaned living room. That was the third time today that he'd had to go around picking up Ivy's toys - and it was only just turning midday.

Currently, she was in her room playing with Aaron (more toys that Robert would have to pick up). Every time Aaron brought a new toy home Robert would tell him that she already had more than enough, and every time Aaron would respond with 'I had to get it; I knew she'd love it!' And, of course, she did love it; she loved every toy they bought for her.

"Aaron," Robert called out from the bottom of the stairs, loud enough for his husband to hear him. "Could you come down?"

Not a minute later he could hear squealing and giggling as Aaron appeared bouncing their daughter on his hip. The cuteness of the scene stopped Robert from reminding Aaron that they should be encouraging her to walk.

“What’s up?” Aaron asked when he reached Robert at the bottom of the staircase, smile still on his face.

Robert’s stern expression softened when Ivy laughed as Aaron handed her to him, and he bounced her up and down on his hip a few times before he remembered the issue at hand. He looked back at Aaron while trying to ignore Ivy’s fists that were now tugging slightly at his hair.

“I’ve just had to pick up all of her toys again. She’s barely two years old, Aaron, how does she have so many toys?” He asked, though obviously he knew the reason.

Aaron was busy grinning at their little girl as she shoved one of her tiny fists into her mouth, the other staying firmly in Robert’s soft hair. “Daddy’s being mean again, isn’t he?”

Robert sighed, hitching Ivy further up his hip and wincing when she accidentally snagged his hair. “Don’t talk to me through our daughter, Aaron, we’re not one of those couples.”

Aaron grinned up at his husband from where he was bent slightly in front of him and their daughter. The grin said that he wasn't going to be fooled into thinking that Robert doesn't think it's adorable when Aaron coos at Ivy - after all, Robert had* told him as much after one too many at the Woolpack.

Rolling his eyes, Aaron rose go his full height. "When she's a bit older, we'll teach her how to clean up after herself. She's young, Rob. She can only just walk."

After Robert glanced at little Ivy then back to Aaron (who had that little gleam in his eye that said 'I know you're about to give in') he nodded. "Fine. But in the meantime you'll be the one picking up any stray toys. You buy them, you pick them up."

Aaron hummed his agreement against Robert's lips and then grimaced when Ivy patted his stubble with a wet palm. Robert found it hilarious.

3.

When Robert came home early one Friday afternoon, he had been hoping to put his feet up with a cup of tea and settle in to watch the Great British Bake Off. Aaron was at work, Ivy was at school for another couple of hours, and Robert would have the house to himself for a few hours before they both got back.

Or so he thought.

He opened the door to their house and frowned when he wasn't greeted with the silence he'd expected. Instead, he was greeted with SpongeBob on the TV (not the Bake Off) and, after a few moments, a shrill shout of, "Daddy!" as Ivy propelled herself off the sofa and into Robert's legs.

"Hello, sweetheart," Robert smiled warmly, picking her up to hug her.

"Daddy said I didn't have to go to school today!" Her grin showing the gap at the front of her mouth where one of her teeth had fallen out a few days prior.

"Wow, really?" He replied, trying not to sound too unimpressed and glancing around the room for her other daddy.

She nodded excitedly, arms winding around Robert's neck making him go a bit cross-eyed when he tried to look at her directly.

"Do you know where he is?" He asked her, casting another glance around.

Ivy pointed towards the kitchen, clearly not wanting Robert to put her down.

Robert huffed a laugh and carried her into the kitchen where, sure enough, he saw Aaron. Aaron who's dark jumper and black jeans were covered in flour and icing sugar.

Robert set Ivy down and she ran towards the counter, stole a cupcake, then ran back into the living room.

The Cupcake Thief caught Aaron's attention, making him turn around. "Oh, you're home." He said, kissing Robert when he came closer.

"Yeah, I am. And so are you and Ivy." Robert smirked, unable to do anything else when he saw the smear of yellow icing on Aaron's cheek.

Aaron gave him a somewhat sheepish look in reply.

"So, what's with the cupcakes, Betty Crocker?" Robert laughed and leaned against the counter.

Aaron huffed at the, admittedly bad, joke with a reluctant smile. "Ivy wanted some."

Of course she did*, Robert thought. It made him smile just thinking about how Ivy could ask for anything and Aaron would give it to her. Sometimes he'd worry it would make me spoiled but then he realised that he was being a hypocritical. He also realised that it didn't spoil her, she just copied Aaron and turned out to be the kindest, most generous kid he knew.

Unfortunately, there was still a pressing question.

"Come on then, why isn't she in school? She's obviously not ill." Robert said, looking at the counter that held the cupcakes, minus one.

The sheepish look returned to Aaron's face. "She's got the next few weeks off for the summer holiday and they never do anything on the last day. So," he shrugged. "I decided to keep her off."

Robert raised an eyebrow. "Aaron, you can't just do that. Schools are getting stricter with attendance, you can't take her out of school for no reason. And what about work?"

His husband huffed, pausing in spreading icing over a cupcake to give Robert a bland look. It reminded Robert of a younger Aaron that didn't like it when Robert got annoyed with a certain younger sister. "It's one day, Robert."

"I don't think the school would accept that excuse."

"I don't care. She's my kid."

Robert frowned. "Alright, what's this really about?"

Aaron opened his mouth, looking like he was about to deny everything but then closed it again. He sighed, then said, "I just miss having her here all the time. Adam called saying there wasn't much work so I didn't need to go in. But it was just so quiet here. When Vee was younger, the house was so loud and full of life but now she's six and she's at school from nine 'til three. I don't notice how quiet things are usually because I'm at work but today... the house just felt empty. So I called the school and told them we had a family emergency."

Robert let out a breath and pulled Aaron to him. "Poor baby."

"Shut up." Aaron said into his chest but didn't make any attempt to pull away.

Robert smiled secretly at how adorable his husband was. "Seriously though, we need to send her to school. She needs to get smart like her daddy Robert."

Aaron scoffed squeezing Robert's back where his arms rested. "Her daddy Robert is an idiot."

Robert laughed. "Oi!" He felt Aaron smile against his neck and snuggle in closer.

After a minute of just standing in the middle of their very messy kitchen holding each other, Aaron spoke up again. "Maybe it's time for another kid."

4.

It was the coldness of the other side of the bed that woke Robert up from his deep sleep at nearly midnight. He was exhausted after travelling for a conference so he went to bed earlier than usual, leaving Aaron and Ivy downstairs and baby Oscar sleeping in his nursery. As a newborn, Oscar woke up every hour - which was even more frequent than Ivy - but now that he was nearly eighteen months old they were able to get a decent sleep. Except for when it was nearly 12am and Aaron still wasn't in bed.*

Robert rolled onto his back, the arm that had reached out for Aaron in his sleep now fell onto his stomach. He'd go back to sleep if he was a deep sleeper like Aaron, but he wasn't.

Huffing, he got out of bed and pulled on the nearest piece of clothing. One of Aaron's jumpers. Thankfully, it was one of his baggier ones so it actually covered his wrists and the strip of skin above his waistband.

He padded downstairs absentmindedly tugging his pyjamas bottoms more firmly onto his hips. When he got downstairs and into the living room, it became obvious why his husband wasn't snuggled up in bed with him.

"Aaron, why are you showing our ten year old horror movies?"

Ivy screamed, clearly not having heard her dad come down the stairs, and Robert instantly felt a mixture of annoyance at Aaron and guilt at making his little girl jump.

He quickly flicked the light on and then made his way to the sofa where he pulled Ivy onto his lap. He shushed her and stroked her hair as she cried, mostly out of shock more than being afraid.

Robert shot a scathing look at Aaron who was sitting next to him. To Aaron's credit, he looked as guilty as Robert felt.

"Why would you let her watch something like this?" He hissed, nodding towards the TV where the movie Thirteen Ghosts was still playing.

Aaron shook his head helplessly and leaned over to stroke Ivy's back. "She asked! She said she wanted to stay up and watch a horror film. This one isn't even that bad! I watched it when I was about her age!"

Robert looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I don't care, to be honest, Aaron. And besides it's way past her bedtime."

He continued to rub her hair for a moment before asking her if she was alright to go upstairs to sleep. She nodded tiredly, rubbing her eyes. If Robert knew her, she'd be in their bed when they got upstairs. Sure enough, after he let her down to go upstairs to sleep, the floorboards above their heads creaked showing that she'd gone into their room.

When they were alone, Robert pulled Aaron to him. It was hard to stay angry when Aaron was looking full of guilt that he had tears brimming.

"I know that you were just doing what she wanted, but you have to learn to say no every once in a while."

Aaron nodded and leaned in closer, clutching at Robert's - Aaron's, really* - jumper. "You keep telling me that."

"I've been telling you that for a decade." Robert smiled into Aaron's soft, gel-free hair when he snorted.

"Okay, okay. No horror movies until she's at least 18." Aaron said firmly and seriously. Robert chuckled and agreed. Aaron continued, "By the way, is that my jumper?"

Robert hummed in confirmation. "It was the first thing I picked up."

His husband stroked the soft material that covered his chest. "Looks good on you."

"You always say that when I'm wearing your clothes." Robert smirked.

He felt Aaron shrug. "It's always true."

Reaching down, Robert put his fingers under Aaron's chin and lifted his head. He placed a soft kiss on his lips but pulled away when Aaron tried to deepen it. "Don't start anything we can't finish. Ivy's in our bed, remember."

Aaron huffed petulantly making Robert laugh. He soon brightened up when Robert made a whispered promise of "Tomorrow", against his lips.

5.

"Robert, sit down, you're going to put a hole in the carpet."

Robert did as his husband said and sat down next to him on the sofa. "It's ten minutes past her curfew, Aaron. How are you so relaxed?"

Aaron blew a breath out of his pursed lips, clearly irritated with how Robert continued to interrupt the show he was trying to watch. "It's only ten minutes, Rob. Calm down. I'm sure you were staying out far later than this at sixteen. I definitely was."

A few minutes later, at thirteen minutes past ten, Ivy walked in. Robert tried to leap up but Aaron's arm was slung across his shoulders, subtly keeping him planted on the couch.

Ivy hung her coat up on the rack next to the door and then walked over to her parents. "Before you say anything," She started, looking directly at Robert. "I did try to call you."

Robert frowned, pulling his phone out of his pocket. It was off. "Oh." He could feel Aaron shaking from silent laughter so he nudged him with his elbow. "So, what's your excuse?"

She shrugged, hands in the pockets of her black denim jacket. "Lucy's mum was late coming home from work. I knew you'd be mad if I took the bus home instead of being driven by her mum."

Robert nodded, happy that she was being practical but not wanting to show it. "Okay. Fair enough."

Ivy grinned - looking completely like Robert - and then told them she was going to bed. After they had exchanged goodnight's and Ivy was in her room, Aaron let out a full, loud laugh.

"It's not funny, Aaron, what if something had happened to her?"

Aaron kissed the side of Robert's head, near the crinkles at the corner of his eyes that got deeper the older he got. "She's fine. You'll work yourself into a heart attack if you're not careful, old man."

Robert laughed weakly. "I can't believe she's sixteen. It only feels like yesterday when she was puking over my suit."

Laughing, Aaron rested his head atop of Robert's where it had fell in the crook of his neck. "At least Oscar is still a baby."

"He's six, Aaron." Robert said, lifting his head to face his husband.

Aaron looked back blankly. "Exactly."

Shaking his head at his husband's cuteness, Robert cupped Aaron's still-stubbly cheek and planted a firm kiss on his lips. "Before you say anything, I might not be that old, but I am too old for another kid."

+1

Coming up behind his husband, Robert wrapped his arms around his husband's still trim waist.

"Thought you said you wouldn't sulk." Robert said into the nape of Aaron's neck.

Holding onto Robert's hands that had settled around his middle, Aaron inhaled deeply. "She's still my baby, I can't help it."

Robert smiled, knowing that Aaron was getting emotional. "And she always will be."

Aaron was quiet for a second then cleared the lump out of his throat. "If he hurts her-"

Robert huffed a quiet laughing before kissing Aaron's neck once. "If he hurts her, she's more than capable of hurting him back thanks to you."

He got a proud nod in reply. Then after a beat of silence, "It's her first date. Which could lead to her first relationship."

"I know." Robert said lightly. "But you can't expect her to never date. If she's anything like us she'll be fighting them off with sticks."

The comment got the desired response as Aaron laughed out loud. "You're an idiot. And I think you were fighting them off with sticks more than I was."

Robert nodded. "Yeah, probably. I couldn't keep them off me."

Aaron huffed, amused. "You're an idiot "

"Some might say otherwise. Although, your mum certainly still agrees with you on that front." Robert replied. That wasn't entirely true though. Once Chas realised that Robert was in it for the long haul, she had warmed to him. Though he was pretty sure she still didn't like him all that much.

Aaron turned around in Robert's arms to face him, looking confused. "How are you not worrying about this?"

"I am." He replied, simply. "But she's old enough to make her own decisions. She's an intelligent, strong, beautiful young woman. She can handle some weedy kid that's trying to court her."

Aaron nuzzled into Robert's neck, his greying stubble scratching at the skin there. "Nobody says courting any more, that's an old person thing."

Robert bit down his laugh. "Excuse me? You're the one married to this old person."

"And don't I know it." Aaron murmured, smile clear in his voice.

"Our little boy's going to be dating soon." Robert said, mostly just to get one up on Aaron.

And, sure enough, Aaron whipped his head up looking completely outraged. "What? No! He's only eight!"

Robert laughed, even as Aaron pinched his side in revenge. "I'm only joking, you big softie. Come here." He said and reeled Aaron back in.

"She's never getting married. Neither of them are. Ever." Aaron pouted.

Robert absently rubbed circles onto his back. "Okay. Anything you want."

His husband hummed happily. "Good."

Robert really wasn't looking forward to next year when Ivy moved out to go to university.

**Author's Note:**

> why is tagging so difficult?? it shouldn't be
> 
> im p sure this is quite ooc sooo im sorry


End file.
